Tailpiece for stringed instruments



March 4, 1952 v HOGNE 2,588,238

TAILPIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed July 23, 1947 IN VENTOR W j xii-foams l aienteci Mar. 4, 1952 2,588,238 TAILPIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Henric Victor Hogne, Stockholm, Sweden Application July 23, 1947, Serial No. 762,940 In Sweden August 2, 1946 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to tailpieces for stringed instruments, particularly the violin and viola. Instruments of the above kind are held, while being played, in a special position in which the end of the body of the instrument is held between the chin on the one hand and the shoulder and collar bone structure of the player on the other hand.

Experience has shown that there is only one correct position for holding such an instrument which position is in many instances difiicult to achieve. In order to assist in properly holding the instrument, so called chin-rests, adapted to be attached to the instrument, are widely employed, but even these have proved to be not entirely satisfactory.

The principal reason for the fact that chinrests are in many instances unsatisfactory is that they cannot be properly positioned because of interference with the tailpiece of the instrument Which acts to anchor the strings to the body of the instrument. With the usual form of tailpiece a chin-rest, if centrally located, must be so high and sloped in such fashion as to be unsatisfactory. Also with the usual form of tail piece the chin-rest if made sufficiently low and properly shaped must be placed to one side of the tailpiece which requires that it be positioned further to one side of the instrument than is desirable for best results.

The general object of the present invention is to eliminate diihculties of the nature above discussed by the provision of a new and improved form of tailpiece which will permit the instrument to be held under the chin of the player, with or without the aid of a chin-rest, more comfortably than heretofore and more readily in the correct position for best results.

The more detailed nature of the invention and the manner in which it is carried into effect will best be understood from consideration of the ensuing portion of this specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are fragmentary side elevation and plan views respectively of a stringed instrument equipped with a tailpiece embodying the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the body of the instrument is indicated at 4 on which is placed the usual bridge 6, over which the strings 5 of the instrument pass, being attached at their ends to one end of the tailpiece l which is provided at this end with the conventional means for attaching the strings. The end wall of the 2 body 4 carries the usual projecting button 3 by means of which the tailpiece l is anchored to the instrument through the medium of the cord or other conventional attaching element 2.

In accordance with the principles of one phase of the invention the tailpiece l is provided with a bend i, the direction of the bend being such that the upper or top surface of the tailpiece is concave. As will readily be seen from the drawings, this shaping of the tailpiece results in that portion of the tailpiece near the end of the instrument lying very much closer to the upper face of the body of the instrument and lower than is the case with the conventional form of tailpiece. Further as will readily be seen from the drawings this results in substantially less overall height or thickness of that portion of the instru-- ment over which the chin of the player extends and enables the use of a much lower and more suitably shaped chin-rest than is the case with the conventional structure, even though the chinrest or a portion thereof overlies the tailpiece.

In addition, the tailpiece is provided with a further bend 8 intermediate its ends extending laterally away from the axis of the tailpiece so as to provide a recess at one side of the tailpiece. From inspection of the drawings it will immediately be evident that this form provides a suitable area close to the axis of the instrument which can be used by the player with or without the aid of a chin-rest and if the latter is used, a chinrest having a surface lying comparatively very close to the surface of the instrument. Obviously the bend 8 can be made in either direction away from the axis.

While a preferred form illustrative of the principles of the invention has been disclosed herein by Way of example it will be understood that other specific forms may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which is to be considered as including all forms of apparatus falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tailpiece for stringed instruments comprising a member provided with means at one end for attachment to an anchorage and at the other end for attachment to strings, said member being provided with a bend extending laterally away from the longitudinal axis of the member at the mid-portion thereof to provide a recess at one side of the member intermediate its ends.

2. A tailpiece for stringed instruments comprising a member provided with means at one end for attachment to an anchorage and at the other end for attachment to strings, said member having a first bend extending lengthwise of the member to provide a longitudinally concave top surface and a second bend at the mid-portion of the member extending laterally of the longitudinal axis of the member to provide a recess at one side of the member intermediate its ends.

3. A tailpiece for stringed instruments comprising a member provided with means at one end for attachment to an anchorage and at the other end for attachment to strings, said member having a gradual bend in the direction of its length, the bend being such that the top face of the member is concave longitudinally and cooperates with the means for attachmentto the anchorage so that the member wheninstalled lies closely adjacent to and substantially parallel with the face of the instrument for a substantial distance from the anchored end thereof and gradually curves away from the face of themstrument in the direction towardthe string engaging end of the memberg'saidmember further being curved asymmetrically laterally with re-' spect to the longitudinal axis of the member to provide a recessed mid-portion thereof at one side of the member between the string engaging end portion of the member and the anchored end portion of the member.

HENRIC VICTOR HOGNE'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 450,270 Watkins Apr. 14, 1891 919,722 Hern Apr. 27, 1909 1,321,227 Mennesson Nov. 11, 1919 1,397,193 Wilson Nov. 15, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 83,833 Germany May 23, 1894 156,692 Germany Mar. 15, 1939 

